Pioneers dominate 2nd half, prevail in season debut over USM Spires, 35-13

Wayland Baptist dominated the second half of its season-opener and wound up running away from the University of St. Mary (Kan.) Saturday afternoon in Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium, prevailing 35-13.
  The Pioneers trailed 10-7 after the first two periods before outscoring the Spires in the second half, 28-3. Mitchell Parsley threw for four touchdown passes – including a school-record three to Brayln Kirby – and Jerrell Peterson rushed for 106 yards and a score to lead Wayland to a successful 2019 debut.

The Pioneers got the ball to start the second half but went 3-and-out. The Spires then had a first down at the WBU 11-yard line before a holding penalty made USM settle for a 39-yard field goal to take a 13-7 lead.

Wayland took over the game after that.

The Pioneer defense allowed just two first downs the rest of the game (one of which was by penalty) and a takeaway helped the WBU offense begin to pile on the points.

WBU took the lead for good with 5:10 left in the third when Parsley found Kirby on a 29-yard post pattern, and the junior receiver made a diving grab in the endzone.

Wayland's next possession turned into its most impressive drive of the game, a 12-play, 70-yard march that ended with Parsley hooking up with redshirt freshman Michael Ve'An on a 12-yard slant in the back of the endzone. With six seconds left in the third, Wayland was up, 21-13.

The game's lone turnover came when sophomore linebacker Casey Buck came up with a tipped pass on the third play of the final period. On the next play, Parsley went deep and found Kirby for a 33-yard TD that made it 28-13.

It didn't take long for Wayland to get the ball back, and even less time for the Pioneers to find the endzone for the final time when Peterson ripped off a 70-yard scamper up the middle that finalized the scoring with just over 11 minutes to play.

Wayland ended with 23 first downs (16 in the second half) and 482 yards of offense, compared to USM's 15 firsts and 257 yards.

Parsley – in his first game since suffering a season-ending injury in last year's season-opener –  completed 23-of-32 passes for 326 yards and the four scores, with Kirby grabbing seven balls for 110 yards and three TDs. Daniel Hurn brought down six receptions for 76 yards.

Parsley's four TDs ties his own school record, which he accomplished three times in 2016 and once in 2017.

On the ground, Peterson averaged almost nine yards a carry, winding up with 106 steps on a dozen carries.

Buck led the Pioneers in tackle with seven, including five solo, plus the pick, and Kaleb Thornton was perfect on five PAT kicks.
The Pioneers improved to 5-3 all-time in season-openers, having won five of their last six.

Wayland hits the road for the first time next week, traveling to Odessa to take on NCAA Division II Texas-Permian Basin. Like USM, it will be the Pioneers' first meeting with the Falcons, who will be making their season debut after going 2-9 last year.